RMH

NAME:  Jacob

AGE: 15 months

HOMETOWN:  Chelmsford, ON

Jacob and his family have stayed at Ronald McDonald House Toronto for 92 days over three separate visits. His Dad chronicles the family's journey.

WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE TORONTO?
Recently my son Jacob was diagnosed with retinal blastoma.  He needed chemo treatment and everything.  SickKids was the place to be and we were very lucky to get a room here at Ronald McDonald House Toronto.

TELL US ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE DIAGNOSIS WAS CONFIRMED?
My wife came down here (to Toronto) to get a check-up for my son. He had a lazy eye and she called me at work after being referred to a specialist at SickKids and being phoned  at work from Toronto and being told that my wife’s not coming home with my son cause he’s get cancerous tumours growing in his eyes. It hit me hard.  I got up and left work and came down right away.  You almost don’t remember doing it. You are just going through the motions.

WHAT DOES RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE TORONTO MEAN TO YOU?
Just really thankful that there’s a place like this for families whose children are receiving treatment.  It’s a great thing. I can’t even describe how to thank them.  I’m at a loss for words to describe how grateful I am.

WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE WITHOUT THE HOUSE?
A lot more stress, that’s for sure.  Actually there was a point where I was looking at the newspaper for apartments or condos in the area just to move down here.  The doctors said we’d be down here for three months so you can’t drive back and forth, you certainly can’t pay $150 for a hotel room for that long.  I still remember the social worker at SickKids said go right now to Ronald MCDonald House Toronto. There’s an interview.  You can get a room.  I remember jogging down the street cause I was just so happy you know. It was kind of a light at the end of the tunnel.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST DIFFICULT DAY DURING THIS ORDEAL?
During the treatment, my son had a reaction to one of the medicines and the appearance almost was seizure-like --- twitching and uncontrollable muscle spasms and stuff.  Your heart really drops when you see that. Chemo treatment is bad enough and I was expecting the worst, but that kind of took the cake that day.  That I’ll never forget.

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR MESSAGE THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO DONATE TO RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE TORONTO?
Everyone is so generous.  It’s really nice to see.  I just can’t thank everyone enough.

WHAT IS JACOB’S PROGNOSIS
He started off with some larger tumours in his eyes and the doctors at SickKids had their own chemotherapy plan.  And the tumours are almost non-existent now.  We’ll be back about every 4 weeks or so for the next year and about every three months for the next five years after that.  IT’s a small price to pay considering we were looking at removing one eye before that.  He’s got both real eyes and he’s going to grow up pretty normal. It’s looking good us.